Principal GNSS Systems Engineer, Amazon LEO

We are seeking an exceptionally skilled Senior GNSS Systems Engineer with a minimum of 10 years of hands-on experience in GNSS engineering, satellite systems, and advanced positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technologies. This is a senior-level technical leadership role requiring deep, first-principles expertise across the full GNSS signal chain — from satellite constellation physics and signal generation through receiver design, carrier phase tracking, and precision position and time solutions delivered to ground terminals.
The successful candidate will lead the design and delivery of a custom satellite-based wireless positioning and timing transfer service operating across S-Band and L-Band frequencies. This system will transmit simultaneous multi-source signals that ground terminals can receive, correlate, and process to extract carrier phase differentials, enabling high-accuracy ranging, time delta computation, and precise geolocation. The role demands mastery of both the theoretical underpinnings of GNSS — including relativistic time corrections, ionospheric and tropospheric propagation modeling, and CDMA spreading code correlation — and the practical engineering required to implement real-world satellite communication subsystems. This position sits at the intersection of satellite communications engineering, precision time and frequency, and advanced signal processing. The engineer will own the GNSS subsystem architecture end-to-end, contribute to the TT&C subsystem, and serve as the technical authority on all matters related to satellite-based PNT service design, clock disciplining, and time transfer over wireless and optical physical mediums.

Key job responsibilities
The Senior GNSS Systems Engineer will serve as the technical lead and subsystem owner for the spacecraft GNSS architecture, driving all aspects of design from initial requirements definition through hardware acceptance.

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree (or higher) in Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical field. A Bachelor's degree may be considered with exceptional demonstrated experience.
• Minimum 10 years of professional engineering experience in GNSS systems engineering, RF systems engineering, satellite payloads, TT&C design, or precision PNT system development.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with at least two of the major GNSS constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo) at the signal and systems engineering level — not limited to receiver integration.
• Proven experience designing or significantly contributing to precision time transfer systems, including two-way time transfer (satellite or optical medium), with documented accuracy results at the nanosecond level or better.
• Demonstrated experience implementing Kalman filter-based navigation or timing solutions in real-world systems, with measurable performance results.
• Experience with RF systems engineering across S-Band and/or L-Band frequencies, including link budget derivation, antenna specifications, and receiver performance analysis.
• Proven track record managing RF hardware development cycles with external suppliers and defining strict test and qualification parameters for flight hardware.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing a custom satellite-based PNT service from initial concept through operational deployment — including waveform design, ground terminal specification, and algorithm development.
• Practical experience with optical time transfer systems (White Rabbit, TWFTF) and integration of optical and RF time references in hybrid synchronization networks.
• Expertise in Alternative PNT (Alt-PNT) system design and evaluation, including non-GNSS positioning technologies and GNSS-independent timing sources.
• Experience with GNSS security: anti-spoofing detection, signal authentication (OSNMA, Chimera), and cryptographic protection of PNT services.
• Background in precise orbit determination (POD) and its integration into GNSS timing error budgets for high-accuracy applications.
• Familiarity with satellite communication standards (CCSDS) and their application to TT&C and custom PNT service link layer design.
• Proficiency in Python and/or MATLAB for signal simulation, filter design, and automated test data analysis.

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CA, San Diego - 179,900.00 - 243,400.00 USD annually
USA, CA, Sunnyvale - 206,900.00 - 279,900.00 USD annually
USA, WA, Redmond - 179,900.00 - 243,400.00 USD annually